Bridie gets a job as a maid on Sir Ian of Seaton's estate and, much against her better judgement and will, falls in love with Sir Ian's brother's step-son, also called Ian. Ian optimistically feels that his father will understand and let them marry but Bridie expects what she gets - dismissal, with Ian threatened with the loss of his inheritance. Ian then gets involved with a burglary on the estate and is killed and Bridie, on hearing this, deciding she can't bear to live with Ian dead, goes out into the snow, lies by his grave and freezes to death....

The various sub-plots which flesh out this moving story make it a great Scottish women's read.